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Effective tick control for yards and homes

With work, school and other responsibilities, we often don’t have time to spend outdoors.  When we do, hikes on the trail or relaxing in the backyard are great ways to enjoy the beautiful weather. Unfortunately, nice weather brings out pests like ticks, and they’re constantly looking for a host to feed on, including humans and pets.

Ticks are found in forests and shrubbery but they can also be found in the backyard and inside homes if brought in by a human or pet!

Ticks can be tricky to control because they are so small. Their bites are often unnoticeable and show no symptoms. But tick bites can lead to tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme disease, which cause potentially serious health issues so it’s important to prevent ticks in your home or yard.

We’ve provided effective ways to prevent tick infestations in your home or yard so you can keep your family safe.

Best Way to Prevent Ticks

small mouse on rocks

1. Avoid rodents on your property

Ticks often find their way into your home or yard by feeding on small rodents, like mice, which can make their way onto your property without notice! Your local Western Exterminator specialists know how to keep rodents away from your property. Doing so will reduce the likelihood of a tick infestation in your home or yard.

summer green grass with flowers

2. Manage vegetation

In outdoor environments, ticks can be found in tall grasses and shrubbery. They wait to make contact with warm-blooded mammals to latch onto and feed. Western specialists will work with you to control vegetation and provide you with tips to keep ticks from returning to your property to avoid tick infestations in the future.

dog getting tick removed from neck

3. Check for ticks on yourself, others and pets after being outdoors

Learn how to identify ticks so you avoid bringing them back to your home in the first place. This is an effective way to avoid infestations and tick-borne illnesses. Perform a full body inspection using a handheld mirror to see all parts of your body. It’s also a great idea to check pets, like dogs, as ticks commonly hide inside their fur, away from plain sight. 

For instance, the brown dog tick is unique because it’s a vector for a number of diseases but it can also survive in indoor environments, like your home. Brown dog ticks can hide behind baseboards, under window and door moldings. If your home is heavily infested, you may even find ticks crawling on carpeting, walls, and furniture!

fence in yard tick control

4. Create Barriers

To make sure ticks do not have a direct pathway to your yard’s recreational areas, place a three-foot wide barrier of gravel or woodchips between wooded or grassy areas. Keep any playground equipment, patios, and decks away from the edge of your yard and trees as well. If you don’t already have a fence, consider building one to keep tick-carrying animals out of your backyard.

trash pile in yard

5. Remove any big pieces of trash from your yard

This includes any old furniture like couches and chairs you may be storing temporarily in your yard. The less clutter, the fewer places for ticks to hide out. Organization is key. If you have a firepit, keep wood stacked neatly in a dry area. 

Tick prevention for your home

Check your clothing for ticks

Ticks love to latch on to clothing. Thoroughly inspect all articles of clothing immediately after entering your home and remove any ticks you can find. Then, toss the clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any remaining ticks. If your clothes require washing, make sure to wash them with hot water. Cool and even medium settings will not kill the ticks. 

Shower soon after entering your home

This tip is especially directed toward children who tend to bring outdoor filth and grime from indoors. It also has been found that showering within a couple hours of coming in from outside can decrease your risk of getting Lyme disease and could potentially reduce the risk of other tick-borne diseases.

Tick Control for Homes and Yards

The best way to avoid tick infestations and bites is to prevent ticks from entering your home and yard! Because female ticks can lay up to 5,000 eggs at once, it’s important to identify and exterminate a tick infestation as soon as you notice it.

Western Exterminator is familiar with ticks found in the western U.S. Our pest control specialists receive on-going training with the latest pest control techniques and methods to keep your family and pets pest free!

For more information on how your home can benefit from Western Exterminator’s tick control program, give us a call at 888-444-6138 or fill out our online contact form

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